An introduction to the ideas and principles that underpin Public Law Australian Public Law provides a foundation to thinking about the ideas and principles that underpin Australian public law. It introduces students to the key principles and theoretical concepts that are required for the study of constitutional and administrative law, before they are applied in the more specific contexts of those courses. The 'public law' concept is explained through analysis of the mechanisms of power and control, including discussions of the functioning of the institutions of government and contemporary issues of importance in Australian public law. KEY FEATURES Develops a concept of public law as a mechanism of empowerment and constraint of the governing institutions of the state Explores concepts such as representation, sovereignty, power and rights as legal and political concepts. Examples and case studies throughout help demonstrate the real applications of public law e.g. the Tampa incident, the Hindmarsh Island Bridge affair, and the government intervention in Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory. Further reading suggested for each chapter The text of the Constitution is included as an appendix. Available as an eBook (9780195518894) through VitalSource http://vitalsource.com/bookshelf from February 2012. If you would like more information about this format, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Table of Contents

PART I: The Nature and Scope of Australian Public Law 1. The Idea of Public Law 2. The Development of Public Law in Australia PART II: The People and their Government 3. Democracy and Representative Government 4. Parliamentary Process and Legislative Power PART III: The Administrative State 5. The Executive 6. Executive Accountability PART IV: The Courts 7. The Judiciary and the Separation of Judicial Power 8. Judicial Review and the Rule of Law PART V: The Internationalisation of Australian Public Law 9. Public International Law 10. International Law and the Australian Legal System PART VI: Issues in Australian Public Law 11. Human Rights in Australia 12. Indigenous Peoples and Australian Public Law 13. Safeguarding Australia Appendix - Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act